Let there be no doubt no one rushes the quarterback on third-and-pass like the Broncos’ Elvis Dumervil. The linebacker not only got his NFL- best 13th sack late in the first half when he dropped New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, it was his ninth sack on third down. Philadelphia’s Trent Cole is next best with 5 1/2 third-down sacks.

Dumervil is already sixth all-time in third-down sacks in a season. The record is held by San Francisco’s Tim Harris, who had 11 third-down sacks in 1992.

“That’s the big boys’ down,” Dumervil said. “When I first came in, guys like Al Wilson and John Lynch used to always say, ‘Money down.’ You get a sack on third down, that’s like a turnover.”

Dumervil added his 14th sack later, giving him his single-season career best.

The Broncos’ kicker boomed four touchbacks in the first half, all at least 7 yards deep in the end zone, and a fifth to the goal line that was returned. He also had four field goals, one from 47 yards that had another 15 yards of carry.

Don’t let those two holding penalties fool you. The Broncos were buzzing after the game about how tight end Daniel Graham manhandled the New York Giants’ defensive ends.

It got to the point where some defenders were grabbing Graham and trying to throw him to the ground.

Red-zone blues.

The Giants entered the game as the league’s worst defense inside the 20, allowing offenses points on 91.6 percent of their trips and allowing touchdowns on 74.3 percent of the trips — 26-of-35 possessions.

The Broncos scored two touchdowns and three field goals on their five trips inside the Giants’ 20-yard line.

Injuries.

Wesley Woodyard (neck), Marcus Thomas (shoulder), Eddie Royal (thigh) and Ty Law (hamstring) all suffered game-ending injuries and were slow to leave the locker room. Running back Knowshon Moreno left the game in the second half with what appeared to be a hand or arm injury, but later returned to have one carry just before the two-minute warning.

Dawkins shines vs. NFC East.

Good luck telling Brian Dawkins he doesn’t play in the NFC East anymore. The Broncos safety, who spent 13 years in Philadelphia, had a team-high eight tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble against the Giants.

He also had seven tackles against Dallas and 14 against Washington.

Buckhalter on kick returns.

With Royal out in the second half, running back Correll Buckhalter returned kickoffs for the first time this season. Buckhalter had previously returned kicks in 2007 for Philadelphia, but his 41-yard return in the third quarter was the longest in his career.

Footnotes.

The Broncos players will be off for three days before returning to the practice field Monday. . . . Two Broncos were inactive with injuries, right tackle Ryan Harris (toe) and running back LaMont Jordan (back). . . . Former Colorado State star Gartrell Johnson, now a rookie with the Giants, was active in place of Ahmad Bradshaw, who was out with an injured ankle.

Mike Klis, Jeff Legwold and Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post

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